Category: Egyptian Artifacts

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Statue of the Scribe and Architect Kha

I was inspired by a video that @egyptologylessons posted on TikTok to write about this piece! This beautiful 𓄤𓆑𓂋 wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 is called “The Sculpted Statue of the Scribe and Architect Kha 𓈍𓂡𓀼” and it is currently on display at the @museoegizio in Torino, Italy. My Nonno took this picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 during one of his trips to the Museo Egizio! 

Statue of the Scribe and Architect Kha
A display at the Museo Egizio showing the Statue of the Scribe and Architect Kha

Kha 𓈍𓂡𓀼 was a scribe 𓏟𓀀 and the royal architect under the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Thutmosis IV 𓇳𓏠𓆣𓏼 (18th Dynasty) and he lived in Deir el-Medina. Kha’s titles included “Head of the Great Place 𓄿𓏏𓊨𓏏𓉐𓉻𓏏𓏛,” “Overseer of the Works 𓅓𓂋𓂓𓏏𓀋 in the Great House 𓉐𓉻” and “Royal Scribe 𓇓𓏞.” 

Fun Fact!!! Did you know that the “Great Place 𓄿𓏏𓊨𓏏𓉐𓉻𓏏𓏛” is how the ancient Egyptians referred to the Valley of the Kings?

Kha’s 𓈍𓂡𓀼 high rank as an official 𓋴𓂋𓀀 allowed for him to have an elaborate burial for himself – most Egyptians would not have been able to afford something like this! 

What strikes me most about Kha’s 𓈍𓂡𓀼 tomb 𓇋𓇩𓊃𓉐 is how these wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 objects (the statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 and the chair 𓎛𓊨𓏏𓆱) are so well preserved! Wood 𓆱𓏏𓏺 is organic and can decay very quickly even Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖! The flower 𓁷𓂋𓂋𓏏𓆰 collar 𓃀𓏲𓃀𓏲 around the neck of the statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 is even still there – that’s so remarkable!

I also love how the ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 figures are included in this display! The ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 figures are made out of steatite 𓅮𓈎𓏏𓈒𓊌 which is a very durable type of stone 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓊪! 

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost. 

@ancientegyptblog on Instagram and TikTok

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Imhotep Statue at the Vatican Museum

It’s been a while since I shared a picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 of an Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾! I love this statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 of Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 so much – look at those ears! It’s so cute!! This Imhotep statue is on display at the Vatican Museum!

Imhotep Statue
Bronze Statue of Imhotep on display at the Vatican Museum

The Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 are always fashioned the same so they are very easy to pick out in museums! Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 is always depicted as a scribe 𓏟𓀀 sitting with a papyrus roll 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛 across his lap.

Even though Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 lived during the 3rd Dynasty, most of his statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 are dated to the Ptolemaic Period, which is when Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 was widely worshipped 𓇼𓄿𓀢 as a god 𓊹, especially by the Greeks. Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 was one of the few non-royal Egyptians to be deified. 

The name 𓂋𓈖 Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 actually translates to “He Who Comes in Peace.” Let’s break down the name 𓂋𓈖 to see what each of the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 mean! 

𓇍 – Come, Arrive, Return

𓅓 – Who Is/Who Is In

𓊵𓏏𓊪 – Peace

I love translating the names of ancient Egyptian people! Much like names today, their names meant something too! 

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost. 

@ancientegyptblog 

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

The Amduat (Part II)

This is Part 𓏻 of my posts on the Amduat 𓇋𓏶𓅓𓏭𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐! Please check out Post I first!

Here are some close up pictures 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 of the Amduat 𓇋𓏶𓅓𓏭𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 of a woman named Gautsoshen who lived during the 21st Dynasty. Sorry the pictures 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 are a little blurry – it is difficult to get good pictures 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 because of the way the display is! 

The images 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 on the papyrus 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛 illustrate the Duat 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐, which Gautsoshen (and other deceased people) would travel through with Ra 𓇳𓏺𓁛 over the twelve 𓎆𓏻 hours of the night 𓎼𓂋𓎛𓄛. 

The Amduat
Picture 1: Gautsoshen standing before Osiris and Selket

The first picture (above) shows Gautsoshen standing before Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 and the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Selket 𓊃𓂋𓈎𓏏𓁐. Selket 𓋴𓂋𓈎𓏏𓆫 is one of the four 𓏽 goddesses 𓊹𓊹𓊹𓏏 tasked with protecting the mummy. 

The Amduat
Picture 2: Ra descending into the Duat

The second picture (above) shows Ra 𓇳𓏺𓁛 (and by default, Gautsoshen) descending into the Duat 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐, which is symbolically the sun 𓇳𓏺 setting in the west 𓋀𓏏𓏏𓈊. Many of the characters that dwell in the Duat are depicted, such as the two 𓏻 lions 𓌳𓁹𓄿𓄛𓏪 who represent the east 𓋁𓃀𓏏𓏭 and the west 𓋀𓏏𓏏𓈊. 

Can you spot the variant for “Amduat 𓇋𓏶𓇼𓏏𓉐” in this picture?!

The Amduat
Picture 3: This image shows various deities, the most prominent being the hare-headed deities on the right.

The third picture (above) is a continuation of the second, and it shows two hare-headed deities. The female hare-headed deity is the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Wenet/Unut 𓃹𓈖𓏏𓁐, who had the titles “Lady of the Hour” and “The Swift One.” Her companion, the male hare god 𓊹 is actually one of the late-period depictions of Osiris 𓊩𓁹. As a hare, he took the name Un-nefer/Wennefer 𓃹𓄤𓀭. While not a super popular goddess 𓊹𓏏, 𓃹𓈖𓏏𓁐 is mentioned in the Pyramid Texts and the Book of the Dead 𓉐𓂋𓏏𓂻𓅓𓉔𓂋𓏲𓇳𓏺𓍼𓏺, as well as the Amduat 𓇋𓏶𓇼𓏏𓉐. 

A bunch of the variants for the word “Duat 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐” appear on the papyrus 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛! Can you spot them?

𓇽𓏏𓉐

𓇽𓉐

𓇼𓏏𓉐

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost. 

@ancientegyptblog 

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

The Amduat (Part 1)

Believe it or not, not every funerary papyrus 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛 is actually a copy of the Book of the Dead 𓉐𓂋𓏏𓂻𓅓𓉔𓂋𓏲𓇳𓏺𓍼𓏺! These two 𓏻 papyrus scrolls 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛 which belonged to a woman named Gautsoshen are actually a copy of the “Amduat 𓇋𓏶𓅓𓏭𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐.”

The Amduat
A copy of the Amduat, on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

The word “Amduat 𓇋𓏶𓅓𓏭𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐” is Middle Egyptian for “That Which is in the Netherworld.” In modern times this text is known as “The Book of the Hidden Chamber” and is a separate entity from the Book of the Dead 𓉐𓂋𓏏𓂻𓅓𓉔𓂋𓏲𓇳𓏺𓍼𓏺. 

Until the 21st Dynasty, the Amduat 𓇋𓏶𓅓𓏭𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 was reserved exclusively for pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏥 and usually appeared on the walls of tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏪. The oldest version of the Amduat 𓇋𓏶𓅓𓏭𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 is in the tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 of Thutmosis III 𓇳𓏠𓆣 in the Valley of the Kings. The walls of the tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 of Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠 also contain the Amduat 𓇋𓏶𓅓𓏭𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. 

The Amduat 𓇋𓏶𓅓𓏭𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 is the journey that Ra 𓇳𓏺𓁛 takes from the time the sun 𓇳𓏺 sets in the west 𓋀𓏏𓏏𓈊 and then rises in the east 𓋁𓃀𓏏𓏭. The story takes place over the twelve 𓎆𓏻 hours of the night, and each hour represents different deities 𓊹𓊹𓊹  (both friends and enemies) that the deceased person/Ra 𓇳𓏺𓁛 will encounter. 

Let’s break down the word “Amduat 𓇋𓏶𓅓𓏭𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐.” 

𓇋𓏶𓅓𓏭 – “Being In” or “That Which is In” 

𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 – Duat (Netherworld/Afterlife) 

Why is the Duat 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 referred to as the Netherworld and not the more popular term “Underworld?” The Duat 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 is not underneath the current plane of living (like in Greek mythology or Christian faith) according to the Egyptian religion. The Duat 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 exists in an in-between plane that doesn’t have a designated place.

This papyrus 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛 is dated to the 21st Dynasty (c. 1000–945 B.C.E.), which is right when the Amduat 𓇋𓏶𓅓𓏭𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 started being written on papyrus instead of on the walls of tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏪.

Please read Part II of my post on the Amduat 𓇋𓏶𓅓𓏭𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐! 

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost. 

@ancientegyptblog 

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts Reading Hieroglyphs

The Osiris Cartouche

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

This wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 mummiform coffin 𓅱𓇋𓀾 belonged to a man named Amenemopet who lived during the early part of the 22nd Dynasty (c. 975–909 B.C.E.). This coffin 𓅱𓇋𓀾 has what I like to call “The Osiris Cartouche” painted inside!

The Osiris Cartouche
The Osiris Cartouche is located on the bottom panel of this coffin at the MET.

If you look closely at the beautiful 𓄤𓆑𓂋 artwork inside this mummiform coffin 𓅱𓇋𓀾 there’s a lot of different things going on! The uppermost row of artwork in the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 shows Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 purifying 𓋴𓃂𓈗 the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱, whose is surrounded by offering tables 𓂝𓃀𓅡𓄿𓋃 covered in food 𓇬𓀁𓅱𓏔𓏥! 

Above Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 there are some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪: 

𓎟 – Lord

𓇽 – Duat (the ancient Egyptian word for “Netherworld”)

Is it Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 being referred to as the “Lord of the Duat,” or is it Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭? Usually this epithet was used with Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭! 

One of the cool things you can see on the bottom panel is Osiris’ 𓁹𓊨𓀭 name 𓂋𓈖 in a cartouche 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷! Usually the name 𓂋𓈖 of a pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 appears in a cartouche 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷! While this doesn’t happen often, there are instances where the name 𓂋𓈖 of a god 𓊹 will appear in the cartouche 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷 and since this coffin does not belong to a pharaoh, a cartouche 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷 is not expected! But Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 was believed to be the first pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, so I guess a cartouche 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷 is fitting! 

The hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 are: 𓁹𓊨𓀭𓎟𓎛𓇳𓎛. Let’s break down the symbols! 

𓁹𓊨𓀭 – Osiris

𓎟 – Lord

𓎛𓇳𓎛 – Eternity

All 𓎟 together 𓈖𓊗, this translates to “Osiris, Lord of Eternity.”

The cartouche is flanked by the Golden Horus symbol 𓅉 on either side which is a Falcon 𓅃 standing on top of the symbol for gold 𓋞. The common symbols of protection, the Eye of Horus and Eye of Ra also appear above the Golden Horus 𓅉, along with the shen ring in between the Falcon’s wings. The Shen 𓍶 symbol is a circle of rope that is tied at the end. The tied rope symbolizes completeness and eternity 𓎛𓇳𓎛. 

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost. 

@ancientegyptblog 

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts Reading Hieroglyphs

The Pyramid Texts of Pepy I

This small relief on display at the Petrie Museum is a section of “The Pyramid Texts” which is the oldest known funerary/religious writings in the world. The original text dates back to the Old Kingdom. 

The Pyramid Texts of Pepy I
A small relief which contains the Pyramid Texts of Pepy I

The Pyramid Texts can be thought of as a precursor to both the Coffin Texts and the Book of the Dead 𓉐𓂋𓏏𓂻𓅓𓉔𓂋𓏲𓇳𓏺𓍼𓏺! The main differences between these religious texts are that the Pyramid Texts were only accessible to the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 because they were only carved inside of the pyramids 𓍋𓅓𓂋𓉴𓏦. Also, the Pyramid Texts were also not illustrated!

This particular section of the Pyramid Texts contains a spell 𓎛𓂓𓏛 that Pepy I 𓊪𓇋𓊪𓇋 would say that would provide him with food and drink for eternity 𓆖! Here is a piece of the leftmost column that I could translate (a lot is cut off): 

𓇋𓅱 – My/I

𓇬𓈎𓈎 – Eat

𓏏𓏐- Bread

𓏊- Beer

The cartouche 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷 of the 6th Dynasty pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Pepy I 𓊪𓇋𓊪𓇋 was one of the first cartouches 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷𓏦 I learned to read/recognize because it’s written with only uniliteral hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! A lot of the Old Kingdom pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏥 have names 𓂋𓈖𓏦 spelled with uniliteral signs, which makes them great for beginners to read/learn! One of the ways I started learning hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 was by practicing reading the cartouches 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷𓏦 of the pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏥! 

Let’s take a closer look at the symbols in Pepy’s 𓊪𓇋𓊪𓇋 cartouche 𓏠𓈖𓈙𓍷: 

The “stool 𓊪” symbol is a uniliteral phonogram for the sound “p,” and does not have any other grammatical functions!

The “reed 𓇋” symbol is a uniliteral phonogram and most commonly represents the sound of “ı͗,” however it can also function as an ideogram for the word “reed 𓇋𓏺.” 

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost. 

@ancientegyptblog 

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Funerary Cones

I love Gallery 117 at the MET so much! The objects in here may not look like much to the average person (they probably just look like a bunch of rocks 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙𓏦), but to me they are a beautiful 𓄤𓆑𓂋 piece in the story of ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖! 

Funerary Cones
Me in Gallery 117 at the MET – the Funerary Cones are in a display behind me!

While not as artistically decorated as most of the artifacts in the Egyptian 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐 collections of museums, these “funerary cones” were always something my Nonno pointed out to me! He thought they were so interesting and now every time I go to museums, I actively seek these out as a way to remember my Nonno! He loved this little gallery at the MET solely because of the funerary cones! 

Funerary cones (a modern name given to these objects) are made of clay 𓊪𓈖𓋴𓈇 and usually found at the openings of tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏪 at Thebes 𓌀𓏏𓊖 (almost exclusively). They were used primarily during the 18th Dynasty (though there are examples that date to the 11th Dynasty or as late as the 19th-20th Dynasties).

While the exact usage of the funerary cones is not known, but they are inferred to be architectural decorations, tomb labels, symbolic offerings 𓊵𓏏𓊪𓏏𓏔𓏦, or even as passports to the Duat 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐! Thousands 𓆼𓆼𓆼 of these cones have been excavated to date! Every museum I have been to has a collection of these funerary cones!

The end of the funerary cone is usually circular in shape and usually contains an inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥 with the name of the tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 occupant as well as a god 𓊹.

An example inscription 𓏟𓏛𓏥 that is common on a funerary cone would be something like: “Venerated before Osiris, Son of ____, Name of Deceased.” 

𓄪𓐍𓇌 – Venerated 

𓐍𓂋 – Before

𓁹𓊨𓀭 – Osiris

𓅭 – Son

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost. 

@ancientegyptblog 

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Stela of Rameses II

This is a large sandstone stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 of Rameses II 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓇳𓏺𓄟𓋴𓇓 on display at the Brooklyn Museum.  

Stela of Rameses II
Stela of Rameses II on display at the Brooklyn Museum!

The hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 talk about how Rameses II 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓇳𓏺𓄟𓋴𓇓 founded the town of Meriamun, and how he established the cult of Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖 there. The stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸 was a way to commemorate Rameses II 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓇳𓏺𓄟𓋴𓇓 presenting statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 to the temple 𓉟𓏏𓉐 of Amun-Ra 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏺𓇳. 

The image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 shows (from left to right) Mut 𓏏𓄿𓀭, Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖, and Rameses II 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓇳𓏺𓄟𓋴𓇓. Rameses II can be seen wearing the blue crown, also known as the khepresh 𓆣𓂋𓈙𓋙 crown which was very popular among New Kingdom pharaohs 𓉐𓉻! 

Rameses II 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓇳𓏺𓄟𓋴𓇓 is receiving symbols of kingship (the crook 𓋾) from the god 𓊹 Amun-Ra 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏺𓇳. This is meant to represent that Amun-Ra 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏺𓇳 saw Rameses II 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓇳𓏺𓄟𓋴𓇓 as a legitimate and rightful ruler! The pharaohs 𓉐𓉻 believed that they were direct descendants of Amun-Ra 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏺𓇳 (in the 18th – 19th Dynasties Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖/Amun-Ra 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏺𓇳 kind of replaces Horus 𓅃𓀭 in popularity as king 𓇓 of the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹) and that they were gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 on Earth. 

It was also really cool that five 𓏾 of Rameses II’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓇳𓏺𓄟𓋴𓇓 names 𓂋𓈖𓏦 appear on this stela 𓎗𓅱𓆓𓉸! These names appear on the top two rows of the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

Here are Rameses II’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓈘𓇳𓏺𓄟𓋴𓇓 five 𓏾 names 𓂋𓈖𓏦: 

𓃒𓂡𓇳𓏺𓀭𓌸𓇌 – Horus 𓅃 Name (The Strong Bull, Beloved of Ra) 

𓅖𓎡𓆎𓏏𓊖𓅱𓂝𓆑𓏲𓂡𓈊𓏏𓏦 – Nebty 𓅒 Name (Protector of Egypt Who Curbs Foreign Lands”)

𓌂𓐝𓂡𓄘𓂧𓂋𓂡𓌔𓏏𓐀𓏻 – Golden Horus 𓅉 Name (“Powerful of Arm, He Who Has Subdued the Nine Bows”)

𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖 – Throne Name (“The Justice of Ra is powerful, Chosen of Ra”)

𓁩𓁛𓈘𓄟𓋴𓇓 – Birth Name (“Ra has fashioned him, beloved of Amun”)

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost. 

@ancientegyptblog 

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Bronze Statue of Bastet

This image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 shows a bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦 statue 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓏭𓀾 of the beloved 𓌻𓂋𓇌 Egyptian goddess 𓊹𓏏 Bastet 𓎯𓏏𓏏𓁐! This statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 is dated to the Late Period – Ptolemaic Period (c. 664–30 B.C.E.).

Bronze Statue of Bastet
Bronze Statue of Bastet on display at the MET

The goddesses 𓊹𓊹𓊹𓏏 Bastet 𓎯𓏏𓏏𓁐 and Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐 were both depicted as cats 𓅓𓇋𓅱𓃠𓏪, however, Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐 usually had the body of a woman 𓂑𓏏𓁐 while Bastet 𓎯𓏏𓏏𓁐 usually had the body of a cat 𓅓𓇋𓅱𓃠. Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐 is also usually distinguished from Bastet 𓎯𓏏𓏏𓁐 by the sun disc 𓇳𓏺 that usually appears on her head!

However, when Bastet 𓎯𓏏𓏏𓁐 was depicted with the body of a woman 𓂑𓏏𓁐 (like in this statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾), she was usually holding a sistrum 𓊃𓈙𓈙𓏏𓏣 in one hand! Since Hathor 𓉡 was usually seen with sistrums 𓊃𓈙𓈙𓏏𓏣𓏪, this shows a link between the two 𓏻 goddesses 𓊹𓊹𓊹𓏏!

This statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 also shows Bastet 𓎯𓏏𓏏𓁐 holding a basket 𓂝𓂋𓂝𓂋𓎅 in her elbow/arm (opposite the sistrum 𓊃𓈙𓈙𓏏𓏣) and a lion-headed aegis in the same arm. An aegis is an object that has the head of a deity 𓊹 (in this case a lion) with a broad collar 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝 underneath it! The aegis itself was a protective 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 symbol associated with Bastet 𓎯𓏏𓏏𓁐 and was used in rituals and festivals! The basket 𓂝𓂋𓂝𓂋𓎅 is thought to possibly hold kittens, but that is just an inference by historians and Egyptologists!

Bastet 𓎯𓏏𓏏𓁐 was the goddess 𓊹𓏏 of pregnancy and childbirth and was considered to be the protective 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 form of the goddess 𓊹𓏏 so it is very fitting for her to be holding the aegis!

Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐 and Bastet 𓎯𓏏𓏏𓁐 were believed to be the two 𓏻 unpredictable personalities of the same goddess 𓊹𓏏. While Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐 represented the destructive and unpredictable side, Bastet 𓎯𓏏𓏏𓁐 was the gentler and calmer side. 

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost. 

@ancientegyptblog 

Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

A Predynastic Safari

Let’s go on a Predynastic Safari!

I love art from the Predynastic and Early Dynastic periods because the objects usually contain a lot of animals! This is a “Hair Comb Decorated with Rows of Wild Animals” and it is dated to the Predynastic Period (c. 3200 – 3100 B.C.E.). This piece is made of ivory 𓍋𓃀𓅱𓌟. 

A Predynastic Safari
While this piece is called “Hair Comb Decorated with Rows of Wild Animals” I like to refer to it as “A Predynastic Safari” since it shows so many different animals!

Archaeologists believe that it is a comb because the remnants of the teeth of the comb can still be seen along the bottom! It is thought that this was some type of ceremonial object and not just a regular comb due to the incredible details on it! I wonder if it was part of a burial?

The animals on this comb are arranged into five 𓏾 rows in raised relief and the incredible details show just how talented the Egyptian artists were even at the beginning of the civilization! It’s also interesting to see each row of animals facing in opposite directions! 

The top row shows elephants 𓍋𓃀𓅱𓃰𓏪 standing on top of snakes 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆘𓏪, which suggests some type of religious/cultural symbolism that we don’t know much about! The fact that this is the top row may also have some significance! While seeing snakes 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆘𓏪 is super common in Egyptian art and mythology, elephants 𓍋𓃀𓅱𓃰𓏪 are not so it’s very cool to see a depiction of them!

The second row shows birds (they look like pelicans 𓊪𓋴𓆓𓏏𓅞𓏪 to me) and a giraffe 𓅓𓂝𓅓𓂝𓃱! Giraffes 𓅓𓂝𓅓𓂝𓃱𓏪 are one of my absolute favorite animals and they do not appear often in Egyptian art even though they are native to the African Continent! During the Predynastic times, giraffes 𓅓𓂝𓅓𓂝𓃱𓏪 and the Egyptians did occupy the same areas, however, as the climate became drier, the giraffes 𓅓𓂝𓅓𓂝𓃱𓏪 migrated out of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 which is probably why they do not appear in the art/mythology as often!  

The third row shows hyenas 𓅓𓅓𓃡𓏦, the fourth row shows cattle 𓃒𓏦 and the fifth row shows boars 𓂋𓂋𓇋𓃟𓏦! 

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost. 

@ancientegyptblog